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Coach: Mike Jinks
Mascot: Knights
Region: 4
District: 15-5A
2010: 14-2, D2 State Champions

PROGRAM

What Steele did last season was one of the most impressive accomplishments by a program in the history of 5A football.  To win a state championship in only their fifth season of varsity football and first at the 5A level is incredible.  The signs of an emerging program were there early as they won 11 games in only their second season.  The Knights have won double digit games in every year since their inaugural season.

OFFENSE

Returning Offensive Starters: 6

Unit Rankings
Backfield:
Receivers:
Offensive Line:

Key Players
QB Tommy Armstrong, Senior (’10 1st All-District)
RB/FS Jordan Sterns, Junior (6’1 190 4.5)
RB Justin Stockton, Sophomore (5’10 170 4.4)

Players to Watch
WR Matt Mayle, Junior (5’10 175 4.5)
TE Marcus O’Learnick, Senior (6’0 225 4.7)
C Peyton Jackson, Senior (’10 1st All-District)
OG Arthur Mata, Senior (6’0 275)
OG Justin Roberts, Junior (6’2 245)
OT Shawn Benson, Senior (6’6 300)
OT Michael O’Neal, Senior (6’2 275)

DEFENSE

Returning Defensive Starters: 4

Unit Rankings
Defensive Line:
Linebackers:
Secondary:

Key Players
DE Eric Maus, Senior (’10 2nd All-District)
DT Cory Staud, Junior (5’10 265)
SS Erik Huhn, Junior (’10 2nd All-District)

Players to Watch
OLB Devere Carrington, Senior (’10 2nd All-District)
OLB Jalen Maddox, Junior (5’11 210 4.7)
MLB Ross Luensman, Senior (6’0 180 4.7)
FS/RB Jordan Sterns, Junior (6’1 190 4.5)
CB Evan Lyons, Senior (6’0 195 4.5)
CB John Burton, Junior (6’0 185 4.5)

SCHEDULE

THE BOTTOM LINE

Offense: It’s not very often that a program can lose a 5-star recruit in RB Malcolm Brown to Texas and not skip a beat.  This could certainly be the case for Steele thanks to two very promising youngsters that saw significant snaps last season and a state champion quarterback in Tommy Armstong returning.  Junior RB/FS Jordan Sterns will see time on both sides of the ball and sophomore RB Justin Stockton who played as a Freshman.  The offensive line averages 276 pounds.

Defense: It was the defense that stepped up big-time in the playoffs holding opponents to 12 points below their season average.  Steele held an extremely potent Denton Guyer offense to it’s second lowest offensive output of the season.  Four starters, plus several others with significant snaps return for the Knights.  Defensive end Eric Maus and junior safety Erik Huhn are all-state caliber players.  This should be the best defense in Region 4 for the second straight year.

Overrated if: There’s a little bit of a post-championship hangover.  The Knights have proven to be the class of Region 4, both talent-wise and coaching-wise.

Underrated if: If the defense plays up to it’s 2010 level.  It remains to be seen whether or not this unit can match last season’s 15th ranked defense in adjusted scoring, but the talent is certainly there to do so.